1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to prefabricated shower modules, and, particularly, to a pre-molded waterproof shower module bottom element that is reinforced so as to allow installation with a reduced need for additional underlying support material.
2. Description of the Background Art
The construction of a shower stall requires that a waterproof structure be placed along the floor of the shower stall. The waterproof structure is usually a one-piece, continuous surface except for a drain pipe that penetrates the structure through a waterproofjoint. This waterproof structure must cover the entire bottom of the stall floor as well as a vertical portion of the lower wall from the floor up to a suitable height from the floor so as to ensure that water standing in the stall is contained with the structure. The waterproof structure is generally referred to as a shower xe2x80x9cpanxe2x80x9d and various designs have been used. The conventional practice is to place a single, usually pre-fabricated, unit in the floor of the shower to form the waterproof structure. The shower floor xe2x80x9cpanxe2x80x9d may be constructed of any waterproof material including metal, polymeric materials or fiberglass. The pre-fabricated shower floor pans are usually constructed in a light weight, thin and relatively structurally weak manner so as to minimize the cost of the shower floor pan. These lightweight and thin units are therefore susceptible to damage during shipping.
A typical shower stall is usually completely enclosed by solid walls with the exception of a doorway used for ingress and egress. The doorway typically has a xe2x80x9ccurbxe2x80x9d in its lower portion, which is a short wall (usually 4 to 10 inches high) that is used to contain water standing on the floor of the shower. The curb comprises an interior curb wall, which is a short vertical wall portion, that terminates at a horizontal portion that forms the threshold for the shower door. Since the curb is required to hold water standing on the floor of the shower, the interior curb wall, and usually the horizontal portion or threshold, is part of the shower floor pan structure. The curb may also extend along the stall perimeter past the area of the doorway, so as to allow other shower stall wall components to be mounted thereon (e.g. a glass wall portion).
Common shower stall construction usually begins with framing of the walls and floor with wood beams or other building material. The wood or other framing may include structures for soap dishes, must provide a level surface on which to place the shower pan, and the framing must also provide physical support for the curb under the shower stall doorway. Since the curb is at least partially comprised of a portion of the shower floor pan, the framing should provide a solid and tightly fitting support for the curb portion of the pan. Deformation of the shower floor pan, including the curb portion of the pan, that is caused by foot traffic if the supporting frame for the shower floor pan is not in tight contact with the shower floor pan, may result in breakage of the shower floor pan and resultant leaks out of the floor of the shower. The construction of the framing for a shower stall is a time consuming task that requires skill and care, as well as a correspondingly large expense. Errors in the framing may also not be detected until the shower stall is almost completed, at which time repairs are more costly and time consuming. The preparation of the waterproofjoint around the drain pipe is also a critical task that may require repair once the shower stall is finished and require excessive time and effort to repair.
Once a shower stall frame is constructed, a suitable wall material is usually placed over the framing that is above the pan in order to form the shower stall walls. A tile or other suitable surface is then placed over the wall material to form a waterproof surface above the shower floor pan. The similar or different tile or other surface is often also applied over the shower pan to form a finished floor for the shower. The tile or other material forming the finished floor must be formed so as to create an incline with the drain opening at the bottom so as to ensure that the water in the floor of the shower will drain.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a pre-formed shower floor pan which provides sufficient structural rigidity so as to allow installation with a minimum of framing construction and other labor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a low cost shower floor pan which can be easily installed in a shower stall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shower floor pan that is strengthened in an area of more complex shape so as to reduce the likelihood of breakage of that area during transit and use.
The present invention achieves these and further objectives by providing a molded, one piece shower floor pan which has a preformed curb containing reinforcing ribs to provide required strength and structure for the shower pan curb. The shower pan of the present invention also utilizes an integrally molded shower drain.